No Need To Be Alone
by monsieurdunbar
Summary: After watching the rendered clip of her father and the mysterious man Tyron, Aelita leaves to the Hermitage to collect her thoughts - like she always has done. New to the situation, William goes after her and decides to fix things his way, leading to his conclusion that a happy Aelita is better than an upset Aelita. W/A comforting fluff, for a trade!


"_Tyron. His name is Tyron."_

"_You're way too naive, Mr. Hopper..."_

* * *

The video turned off, declaring its end. The group stared at Aelita who was watching the screen with fixed eyes. Suddenly she snapped and averted her gaze. She looked at her friends in the room one after the other then at the ground.

"I... I need some time to think," she started for the door.

"Aelita-" but Jeremié was cut off by the door closing, leaving the group in sheepish silence.

Yumi and Ulrich sat back on the couch they were sitting on before, William following put and returning to the bed, this time sitting up straight.

"Shouldn't we get her back from the Hermitage before class starts?" Odd suggested.

Jeremié shook his head, "she will come back on time. She just needs to think on her own,"

"She'll talk to us when she's ready to talk, right Jeremié?" Yumi piped in, well aware of what Jeremié was mentioning.

As the only two girls in the group, Yumi and Aelita got to talk about a lot more things than they would with the boys. After past arguments Aelita had with Odd or Jeremié, she would go to Yumi to talk after a short while of thinking things through on her own. Jeremié nodded in response to Yumi.

William looked to the top of Jeremié's bed, where he recalled Aelita just mere moments ago next to him, happily encouraging Odd that he did a great job on Lyoko. _Is that how she takes care of herself? _William thought, furrowing his eyebrows. He almost shoved himself into the conversation, about to protest, until he stopped. _They _have _known her longer than me though, _he thought. Technically he didn't have a right to butt in, but she was his friend too; he could at least try.

The group left Jeremié's dorm and spread out: Odd, Jeremié and Ulrich to the canteen, Yumi to collect her lunch from home, and William, well, to 'his dorm'. He just happened to take a 'shortcut' through the school woods on the way. He reached the manhole that lead them to the factory through the sewers, but as he climbed down, he went the opposite direction. He recalled Jeremié mentioning different ways to reach the factory: through the boiler room, through the manhole, and through the Hermitage – all linked to the sewers nevertheless. After a short while of walking through the dark and thick-smelling sewers, he found an exit which he hoped lead to the Hermitage – thankfully it did.

He pushed the heavy door and found himself in a small and quite dull backyard. It was deserted and silent, leaving William feeling gingerly towards his surroundings. He walked up to another door in front of him and entered. As soon as he shut the door, he heard muffled cries from nearby which he immediately assumed were Aelita's. He wormed his way though each room until he found her lying on the ripped apart sofa in what seemed like a living room. Some shelves and boxes looked to have survived from whatever happened in this building, and a grand piano in the corner too. He silently stepped towards her, however she heard it anyway. She sat up and he knelt by the sofa next to her.

"William? Wh- what are you doing here?" she choked out, not expecting him in the slightest.

"I know you like to be alone during these kinds of situations, but- but I don't think anyone should be alone. Um," he looked around awkwardly after blurting that out.

Aelita's breathing began to calm down as she watched him earnestly, waiting for something more, _anything._

"I know I don't know all that you're going through, so you don't need to say anything like that. I know that I shouldn't have come here, I should've listened to the others and left you to think just like you wanted but... I don't know, Aelita," he looked up at her, "this doesn't feel right, especially for someone like you. You shouldn't be alone-"

He got cut off as Aelita flung herself at him, her arms tight around the back of his neck. She muffled a silent 'thank you' as she continued to breathe deeply to prevent herself from crying any longer. William understood now. Perhaps she used to want to be alone most of the time before, but she grew up. She grew up to know she has friends she can go to, but she was so used to the usual way to handle things that she decided to keep it this way. The others even decided not to try anymore. William wrapped his arms around her in return and they sat like that, holding each other for a short while.

"Your father was not a bad person. The others are right. Everything he did was for you," he muttered into her hair.

She let go and rested her back against the sofa. William glanced behind her shoulder and saw a doll; it looked like an elf with a long burgundy hat. He glanced back towards Aelita and watched her silently recollect herself. Deciding to move himself next to her, he looked around the room.

"So, what is this place exactly?"

"I used to live here with my parents,"

She glanced behind her shoulder and reached out for the doll William took notice of before and held it on her lap. William continued to watch her intently.

"I come here whenever I'm upset or need time alone, or to just talk with my father, I suppose..." she looked at her while her hold on the doll got stronger, "you're right, William. This doesn't feel right anymore..."

William nodded. Aelita began telling him everything, from the men in black to Mr. Puck, her doll. Over the last year or so, her past caught up with her, and she wasn't sure whether she wanted to tell Jeremié the same story twice. So she was glad William was here and willing to listen. Honestly, he was the last person on her mind she would tell, but she did, and he was understanding and compassionate and everything she would want in the person she would talk about her past to.

"Well, after all of that, I want you to know... I'll do anything I can to help you get your answers. I'm sure the others feel the same way. You're not alone in this, Aelita," he turned himself to face her, placed his hands on her shoulder and smiled, "next time you walk off wanting to be alone, watch out because I'll be coming right behind you, ready to cheer you up..."

Aelita chuckled shortly with squinted eyes.

"...and this little guy," he poked the top of Mr. Puck's head, "he'll be here too..."

Aelita looked at the face of her childhood doll, the colour of it slightly wearing out from age and smiled.

"...and your father?" she looked up at William, "he'll always be _here,_" he pointed to her chest where her heart is.

Aelita stayed quiet, taking everything in. She started to laugh quietly.

"Where did _this_ William come from?"

He smirked pathetically in return, earning more giggles from the girl. _Yeah, _he thought. _I like a happy Aelita better than an upset Aelita._


End file.
